Time Of Dying
by Kris Phantom
Summary: Italy's and Germany's new bosses managed to screw things up for them, and the outcome isn't very pretty. Character death, Gerita


Time of Dying

Feliciano resisted the urge to close his eyes. He could've laughed at the situation. He, preacher of peace and pasta, was afraid of dying in his sleep. The bullets burned in his arm, chest and legs as he fought to breathe. He couldn't feel the ones in his stomach.

Maybe he ought to give in to the abyss. Romano had been complaining about always being referred to as 'South Italy' while he was just 'Italy'. He was tired of arguing with his brother, tired of fighting. Heck, he was just plain tired. Then there was Germany.

Oh God, Germany.

Feli still wasn't sure what caused the rift and, by extension, this war. He had just woken up from his siesta and was deciding what kind of pasta to make when his miraculously charged-and-on cell phone rang. All he was told was that there was some kind of misunderstanding between their new bosses and that they weren't allowed to be friends until it was cleared up. He figured it would be back to normal within the year.

A week later, war was declared.

Two years down the road, and here we are.

Feliciano sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. He wasn't _actually_ dying, right? He was a country, a language, a culture, a people. He was simply too much to just die. It isn't possible. Old memories of Grandpa Rome and Holy Rome flitted across his eyes. Okay, maybe it was.

Italy's only consolation was that he knew Germany wasn't willing to participate in these battles. He had had always been pretty sensitive when it came to the Italian. This war-and this battle in particular-would have killed him.

Italy chuckled once and coughed. Here he was, dying, and all he really cared about was Germany's well-being.

"I guess," Feli muttered hoarsely. "I guess I really love him." He sucked in another breath and stared up at the sky he could just barely make out. "I wonder... Do you love me back, Ludwig?" A weak smile spread across his face as he remembered the last time he was with the Aryan. They'd gone to the movies, eaten popcorn, laughed at corny lines. It had been the perfect date.

It was starting to get harder to keep his eyes open.

Feli's vision was almost completely black when a new shadow blocked the fading light.

"Italy," Germany's voice gasped. Italy tried to focus on the figure.

"Ger...man...y?"

"Oh Gott, Italy!" Germany's face was jerked closer and was clearer in focus for a moment. Feli gave a weak smile.

"You're here," Feli gasped, a tear slipping out of his eye. The smile dropped then. "No, that's...bad. You should be... at home. Not here."

"I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be fine," Germany promised. "Just hold on." The smile returned to Feli's face.

"I'm just... tired, Ludwig," he whispered.

"Don't sleep, Feli. Please, stay with me," Ludwig pleaded. Italy slowly reached up and touched Ludwig's face. Ludwig held it in place. Italy rubbed Germany's cheek with the pad of his thumb and then let it go limp. He simply did not have the energy to keep it up.

"Ludwig? When we get home... can we watch that movie again?"

"As many times as you want, Feli." Germany heard his voice crack. "Just stay with me." He pulled Italy closer and Italy could hear Germany's heartbeat. It was so easy to close his eyes that he didn't even notice until he was shaken with a panicked order to stay awake.

"Ludwig?" Feliciano ventured quietly a few minutes later. He was so tired...

"Hmm," Germany said, gently rubbing Italy's face.

"I love you." All he wanted was to go to sleep now that Germany was here. Now that Germany was holding him again. The only downside right then was that he could barely see his love. It was so hard to stay awake.

"I love you too, Feliciano." Feli smiled and closed his eyes. A short nap wouldn't hurt, right? Germany would keep him safe. He had finally heard the phrase he had longed for for so many years.

"I'm going to take a siesta now," Italy decided weakly. He couldn't open his eyes even if he had wanted to. He managed to feel up towards Ludwig's collar and gripped the material as tightly as he could as he fell into the darkness. The last thing Feliciano Vargas was aware of was water falling on his face.

Germany couldn't help the tears that fell after Italy's chest stopped. He had known as soon as had found Feliciano that the Italian didn't have long. He had been surviving on willpower alone. Ludwig held Feli's body close in one last hug before setting him down across his lap and running his hand through red hair.

And that was how America and Russia found them a few hours later. All America could think to do was hug Germany from behind and Russia for once could not smile. They had all been too late to save him.

**Yeah... Sorry if its crappy. I wrote this during boot camp cuz I was feeling pretty morbid. My friends said that I needed counseling or something lol.**

**Anyways, I'm still working on my other stories but I have to start from scratch on a few of them cuz my computer with everything on it committed Bob-icide. The day I left. THAT was kinda creepy.**

**Okay enough of me, review please!**


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